Mayor Adams' Statement on Stay at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal with Asylum Seekers and Status of Watson Hotel

February 4, 2023

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams released the following statement today after he, New York State Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs, and ‘Homeless Hero’ and advocate Shams DaBaron joined hundreds of asylum-seeking men to sleep at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal last night: 

“I would never ask anyone to do something I wouldn’t be willing to do myself, so last night, on the coldest night of the year, Assemblymember Gibbs, Shams, and I wanted to show the asylum seekers staying at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal the warmth of New York City. The three of us decided to sleep at the terminal overnight alongside hundreds of migrants and experience what they are all experiencing. What we saw is what we have seen since the beginning of this crisis, individuals who are grateful to the greatest city in the world for providing them the opportunity to work towards the American Dream. I’d like to be clear that the facilities at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal are providing the same services to asylum seekers as every other humanitarian relief center in the city, and the team at the terminal is giving new meaning to the words ‘love thy neighbor.’ 

“Because of the willingness of these men to move to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, families with children have already started to move into the Watson Hotel. More than 44,000 asylum seekers have moved through our intake system in the last 10 months, and we’ve provided them with warm shelter, food, education, health care, legal support, and a host of other services. As someone who grew up not always knowing where I would sleep at night, I empathize uniquely with these asylum seekers and will not only work every day to provide them with these resources, but will always do so with care and compassion.” 

Some photos and videos of Mayor Adams, Assemblymember Gibbs, and Shams DaBaron staying at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal last night are available online.  

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